Day 15: Eagle Valley to Swift Current
Ice cream shop in Tompkins
Early in the day look south into the distance to see the Cypress Hills which rise to an elevation of 1 468 M. The hills form a drainage divide separating rivers that drain to the Gulf of Mexico and those that drain to Hudson Bay.
The highway shoulder deteriorates before Tompkins but improves afterwards. Services are available on the highway. Watch the barbed wire fences that run parallel to the highway for birds.
Gull Lake, a small agricultural town at the intersection of HWY 1 and HWY 37, is home to giant wind-turbines that can be seen from a distance. Stiff prairie winds turn the 23 m blades, generating power for Saskatchewan’s electrical consumption. There is a gas station on the highway here.
Your destination for the evening is Swift Current. Swift Current Creek, the city’s namesake, runs north to south through the east side of town.
There are private campgrounds at each end of the city on HWY 1, but I recommend staying at the city run Kinetic Exhibition Park. If you have some spare time, visit the Mennonite Heritage Village next to Kinetic Park or browse the Museum & Interpretive Centre adjacent to HWY 1.
Kilometre Log
0.0 Leave Eagle Valley Campground heading west.
0.4 Turn right towards HWY 1.
0.5 Turn right onto HWY 1.
1.2 Cycle over Maple Creek.
5.4 Intersection of HWY 1 & HWY 21. Service station and tourist information is available here.
29.8 Intersection of HWY 1 & HWY 614.
54.7 Tompkins and Shady Place Campground.
78.2 Intersection of HWY 1 & HWY 37 and Gull Lake.
100.6 Exit to Webb. No services on highway.
123.7 HWY 32 merges with HWY 1.
130.2 Enter Swift Current on HWY 1.
131.1 Intersection of HWY 1 & 11th Avenue NW. Turn right here.
131.6 After crossing the railway tracks, turn left on South Railway Street West.
135.2 Cross over Swift Current Creek.
135.6 Welcome to Swift Current Kinetic Park Campground.
